"Better be… Ravenclaw!"
The silence that spread through the great hall was palpable. No one said a word. Even the professors looked shocked. They all stared at the tiny figure on the wooden chair, dressed in dark Hogwarts robes. Even as the deep purple trim and Ravenclaw crest appeared, the shock and awe remained.
Then the whispers started. 'A Malfoy in Ravenclaw?'
'It's a mistake!'
'No doubt some dirty Slytherin trick!'
'Who knew Malfoy had a sister?'
'She doesn't really look like a Malfoy.'
It was partially true. Lyra Gemini Malfoy didn't look like a typical Malfoy. Instead of the trademark blond locks, Lyra's hair was dark. Her curs cascaded down her back in soft spirals that bounced lightly every time she moved. And instead of the icy blue, near silver, eyes, Lyra's eyes were the colour of storm clouds just before a terrible storm. They seemed to see everything and nothing.
She was far from what anyone expected. Earlier in the evening, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, had gotten up from his usual chair and stood in front of the students. This was a bit unusual but not odd. See, this all happened before the sorting of new students but everyone knew the headmaster was a bit barmy.
"Students!" he had said in his usual jovial manner, "We're going to welcome a very special student; a transfer student all the way from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic."
No one could have guessed that she would be a Malfoy and simultaneously destroy whatever image most of the students had in their heads of what a female Malfoy would be like.
Professor McGonagall removed the sorting hat from Lyra's head. Storm grey eyes danced around the hall until they settled on the Slytherin table. Then, those eyes turned away, dismissing whatever she had found there and turned to the house of ravens. With a single quirk of her lips, she slipped gracefully from the stool and sauntered over to the table.
There was a cheer from the table as students made space for their newest member. All the while, a curious green gaze followed Lyra's every move.
"She's pretty enough but who needs another Malfoy?" Ron Weasley, a tall red head with freckles and gangly limbs said around and entire turkey leg.
The sort of new students had come and gone. Give or take a few, each House gained a respectable number of students.
Hermione Granger, a slightly shorter, bushy haired girl with a slight overbite frowned and smacked him with a book she was reading.
"'Mione!" the read head whined.
"Chew with your mouth closed and don't talk with your mouth full, Ronald!"
Harry Potter, by far the shortest of the trio, snorted quietly and turned his attention back to the Ravenclaw table. While his two friends squabbled, semi-good naturedly, Harry himself chose to study the newest edition to the Hogwarts family.
She was actually shorter than him, which secretly pleased Harry, and could tell that she was a year younger than him. She was also very pretty. When those deep grey eyes looked up and found his green ones, a blush flushed his face and he quickly dropped his gaze. He peaked up again just in time to see a smile spread across her face before she was drawn into a conversation with one of the upper years. Ravenclaws were a curious bunch.
He watched various emotions flit across her face because her face became a mask of a smile that meant everything and nothing. It was pleasant but it didn't light up her face nor make her eyes shine the way the smile that she showed him did.
He jumped when Hermione jabbed him in the side with a scowl. He turned his attention back to his friends. With a small frown, he rubbed his side.
"There was no reason for that, Hermione." He said.
She had the grace to look mildly apologetic before she frowned. "I called you four times, Harry. What had you zoned out so much?"
Harry lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Hermione. The Great Hall was loud and boisterous with students catching up and eating but still, it wouldn't do for anyone to hear that he had an interest in a Malfoy.
"The new girl, Malfoy's sister. I didn't know he even had a sister."
Hermione leaned in as well, voice low. "I don't think anyone did. It's almost like the Malfoy's didn't want anyone to know."
Harry glanced at the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy, normally the centre of attention, sat in his seat, rigid and angry, a deep scowl marring his features. His unblinking stare set permanently on the Ravenclaw table. His housemates and friends seemed to be avoiding the pouty blonde. Only Blaise Zabini, the tall, dark, soft-spoken, half Italian seemed amused by the turn of events. Occasionally, the blond would turn and snap at him, but it only caused his amusement to grow. Even Pansy Parkinson, Malfoy's ever-present shadow, thought it prudent to find a seat further down the table, far away from the seething ball of blond ire.
Harry nudged Hermione and she turned to look as well.
"I can't imagine Malfoy's very happy."
Harry smiled a little. "No, I can't imagine he is." The two dissolved into gales of laughter.
Ginevra 'Ginny' Weasley frowned from beside Ron. "What's so funny? Care to share with the rest of us?"
Harry and Hermione calmed down a little. With lots of breaths and laughter breaks, they tried to explain but after several attempts failed, they collapsed in laughter once again. This time, they had a very confused audience.
The rest of the meal went on without much fuss. But, before the students were allowed to leave, the headmaster stood up once again, this time to introduce Remus Lupin as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Then the students were dismissed.
Harry wasn't one hundred percent sure but, he could have sworn he heard the twins, Fred and George Weasley, taking bets on how long the new professor was going to last at Hogwarts.